Marguerite with variegated leaf foliage

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a new and distinct Marguerite plant characterized by the following characteristic: variegated leaf foliage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to all marguerite plants capable of havingvariegated leaf foliage. Typically marguerites occur in either of twoplants varieties, namely Chrysanthemum frutescens and C. leucanthemum.These plants resemble the common American daisy, also known as Parisdaisy.

2. Background of the Invention

Marguerites have long been a popular garden staple. Marguerites havebeen grown for over 200 years and it is reported that there are over 80types currently available. Marguerites are typically hybrids and come inwide varieties from bushy, shrubby type growth that can be left in ashaggy type shape to topiarised and manicured.

As set forth in the Plant encyclopedia—BHG.com, the “total absence ofplastid pigments causes a sector of a leaf or stem to have whitepatches. This condition is termed variegation (Metrosideros).Variegation is produced when there is a cell mutation (cytologicalchimera), and all cells produced from that mutant mother cell lack thepigments, either because plastids are not present or the plastid cannotcomplete the manufacture of the pigment apparatus. White, therefore, iswhere color is missing. The zones where chloroplasts are not present arezones where no photosynthesis will occur, hence a variegated leaf has alowered potential to fix carbon dioxide into sugars, and as aconsequence, a variegated plant also tends to grow more slowly.

“Variegated leaves occur rarely in nature but are extremely common amongindoor and outdoor ornamentals, where they have been saved ashorticultural oddities. Species with variegated individuals aresometimes found in the understory of tropical rain forest, and thishabitat is the source of a number of variegated house plants. Theappearance of variegation in the tropical forest understory, if notsimply by accident, has not been given a plausible explanation.

“Some variegated ornamentals have only a fringe of white around the leaf(Example: Pittosporum), sometimes irregular dots (Examples: a bromeliadand Begonia) and spots (Examples: Dieffenbachia, an aloe, and anorchid), sometimes broad panels of white (Examples: a bromeliad, shellginger, Pisonia, and a fig), and even an occasional leaf that is totallyachlorophyllous (white; Example: Hedera helix). Among monocotyledons,strips of stem internode may also be achlorophyllous (Example:variegated sugar cane). On a single plant, you can observe leaves withall different degrees of variegation, but a plant may also produceindividual leaves or entire shoots that are all green (Examples:Coprosma, Abutilon, Euonymus, and Bougainvillea), and which did notinvolve mother cells with mutant plastids. On the same plant, totallygreen leaves tend to be much larger than the variegated ones. Some verycolorful variegated horticultural forms occur when the leaf cells canproduce vacuolar pigments, such as anthocyanins, which then producepatches of pink where chlorophyll is absent (Example: Acalypha).

“Out of the tropics have arisen some very unusual variegated forms(Example: a gesneriad). One of the most photographed is a species ofCalathea, which has patches of green, surrounded by white tissueresembling a set of leaves within a single leaf blade.

Some people may dismiss variegation as an uninteresting series of mutantforms, rare in nature, but there are some plants living in full-sunhabitats that possess variegated leaves. “Examples are certain speciesof clover (Trifolium), possessing a V-shaped clear mark on each leaflet.Among tropical epiphytes are numerous species of bromeliads and certainorchids. Typically, variegated individuals can persist in nature viacloning, i.e., vegetative propagation by forming new plants from buds,as in bromeliads, orchids, aloes, and agaves, rather than via seeds,which would necessarily be a rare event.

“Many leaves have white or nongreen veins, causing the leaf to appearvariegated (Examples: an aroid, Sanchezia, striped inch plant, and milkthistle). The white vein is caused by the absence of chlorophyll-bearingcells above or below the conducting tissues of the vein. Most commonly,no stomates are found directly on a vein, so the cells, incapable ofreceiving adequate carbon dioxide, are not equipped for photosynthesis.Leaves with white veins should not be classified as variegated, althoughthey are sometimes also grown as horticultural oddities.”

As stated by R. Daniel Lineberger in “Orgin, Development, andPropagation of Chimeras, “A plant is said to be a chimera when cells ofmore than one genotype (genetic makeup) are found growing adjacent inthe tissues of that plant. Variegated plants are perhaps the most commontypes of chimeras, and certainly the most convenient example to use inpresenting the basic concept.

“The apical meristem of a shoot is the location where most of the cellswhich produce the plant body are formed. Cell division occurs at a veryrapid rate in an actively growing shoot and these cells in turn elongateor expand resulting in growth in length of the shoot.

“Chimeras arise when a cell undergoes mutation. This mutation may bespontaneous or it may be induced by irradiation or treatment withchemical mutagens. If the cell which mutates is located near the crestof the apical dome, then all other cells which are produced by divisionfrom it will also be the mutated type. The result will be cells ofdifferent genotypes growing adjacent in a plant tissue, the definitionof a chimera.

“If the location of the cell at the time of mutation is in a regionwhere little further cell division will occur, then the likelihood ofdetecting this mutation by visual inspection of the whole plant is low.Furthermore, if the mutation results in a genotype which is not verydifferent morphologically from the rest of the plant, then thelikelihood of identifying the plant as a chimera is also low. A mutationwhich results in colorless rather than green cells (variegation) iseasily detectable, whereas a mutation which results in greater sugaraccumulation in the cells would not be observed.

“Careful observation of the pattern of coloration in variegated dicotleaves allows one to partially deduce the nature of the chimeral layersin the shoot apex. A complete characterization of the nature of allthree layers cannot be made macroscopically since most of the cells ofthe epidermal layer of dicot leaves do not produce chloroplasts even ifthe genetic information for chloroplast development is present.

“Stable periclinal chimeras have resulted in plant sports with uniqueornamental features. The ability to propagate these sports in atrue-to-type fashion depends upon the use of a propagation techniquewhich utilizes lateral buds. The layered organization of the apicalmeristem which is characteristic for a periclinal chimera is maintainedin lateral meristems, but is usually lost during the differentiation ofadventitious shoots. Plant tissue culture methodology enables theseparation of chimeral genotypes in some species, facilitating the studyof the separated component genotypes. This advantage of tissue culturemay be a liability in systems which proliferate in vitro throughadventitious shoot formation, since the propagation of off-type plantsmay occur.

What has never been developed or found is a variegated leaf foliage in amarguerite plant. The invention herein discloses such a new variety,which is both stable and reproducible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Marguerite is created by taking cuttings from aSPORT. The cutting is treated with root tone and then placed underlights in a potting mixture of vermiculite. The lighting and containersize as well as the temperature and water conditions are adjusted forplant growth.

The new variety is bred to form

-   -   a. strong and disease resistance vegetation;    -   b. bushy and thick foliage;    -   c. blue/green color;    -   d. rapid, but not excessive growth rate;    -   e. short stems;    -   f. thick stems;    -   g. desirable flower

The new variety meets the above criteria and in addition produces acompact plant, which roots quickly and flowers consistent with otherwell growing Marguerites.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the spring, seeds that were planted earlier begin to sprout. Theseedlings are placed in a container. Upon further growth, the seedlingsform fully grown plants and then are examined. Using a Sport, Applicantfound the beginnings of variegation. Upon further cuttings and growth,Applicant developed his variegated variety.

From the fully grown plant, Applicant takes cuttings having the desiredmutation of variegation. Those cuttings are treated with root tone andplanted in vermiculite.

The containers having the seedlings are 1 ounce cups. It has been foundthat clear cups work best to be able to view the rootings.

In the containers are filled with 1 ounce of vermiculite and ¾ of anounce of water.

Proper plant lighting is essential to proper growth. An plant aquariumlight is used for 12-14 hour duration each day to provide optimumgrowing conditions.

The plants while maturing are they are kept in 12″-14″ closedcontainers.

The temperature is kept between 50 degrees and 60 degree F.

After rooting, about 98%, the plants are transpotted to an 8 ouncestyro-foam cup. The plants are then provided with heavy shade, heavywater. In about 10 days, the plants are transplanted to natural sunlightin about 1 gallon drums. For the next 2½ months to 4 months, the plantsare allowed to grow and develop into mature adults.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a top view of a cutting of the Marguerite in accordance withthis invention. As seen, the flowering portion is unaffected by thevariegated foliage.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged picture of the variegated foliage in accordancewith this invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the plant in accordance with thisinvention. As seen, the variegated portion is visible through thefoliage and the growth and makes a most distinctive appearance.

DESCRIPTION OF PICTURES

Pictures 1 through 4 are included. Each picture represents a differentview of the variegated Marguerite.

Thus, the invention is to be limited only by the claims as set forthbelow.

1. A new and distinct Marguerite plant characterized by the following characteristic: variegated leaf foliage. 